Pity the poor pit bull. The beloved companion of movie stars, authors and at least one president, the American pit bull terrier's sterling reputation has become tarnished over the years as the breed became linked with gangs and dogfighting rings.

The public perception of dangerous, out-of-control canines has led many communities — and even countries — to outright ban the breed, despite studies that show pit bulls aren't the nation's No. 1 biters — that dubious distinction goes to Labrador retrievers.

Move beyond the fear factor and most people discover that pit bulls are a loyal, affectionate breed. The so-called "nanny dogs" love children and are not typically reactive to people.

But the bully-breed backlash means open-admission animal shelters are often full of pit bulls and mixes, especially in Northern New Mexico. At the Española Valley Humane Society, where the dogs are altered and chipped for free, pit bulls are often less likely to find loving homes, said Nina Chiotasso, who handles the shelter's community relations.

That's not because of behavior issues, which are few, she said, but because of the public's misperceptions and lack of transfer options. Stuck in the shelter for weeks, they are among the breeds most likely to be euthanized.

The dogs are society's victims, said Mary Martin, the executive director of the Santa Fe Animal Shelter & Humane Society.

"These dogs are a fad breed — not a bad breed — that have been overbred," she said. "And we in sheltering, who should know better, often fall victim" to the stereotyping.

A recent shelter arrival of a pit bull mother and her six newborn pups has brought the issue to the forefront. A county animal control officer, responding to a report of an aggressive dog underneath a trailer off Agua Fría Street, secured the light-brown dog. The person reporting also noted that there were newborn puppies yelping underneath the structure.

The officer dug out the six 3-week-old puppies buried in the insulation, where the mother had built a birthing nest. Brought to the shelter, the dog became increasingly protective of her babies. Shelter staff struggled to find the best solution for the animals.

"We had said to ourselves, 'she's not doable,' " Martin said, "instead of saying to ourselves that she's a mother protecting her babies. If a cocker spaniel had been barking like that, would we worry so much?"

The mother and her offspring found refuge with Karen Bershad, a shelter contributor and active volunteer who often takes in foster animals. Bershad has also adopted her own pack of rescue dogs, including two pit-bull mixes and a brown terrier with its own behavior and physical issues.

The mother dog, dubbed Tilly — short for whole-wheat tortilla — has blossomed under Bershad's care. On a recent sunny day, Tilly's plump puppies, now 6 weeks old, were full of puppy energy, tugging at shoestrings or finding new chew toys to terrorize. Tilly herself was wary of a clicking camera, but greeted strangers with a wag of a tail and a quick lick on the face.

"Aren't they heavenly?" Martin asked, cuddling one puppy that quickly fell asleep in her arms. "These are wonderful babies. And Karen took the time to work with her and socialize the babes. We worry so much about these dogs finding good homes."

With good reason. While Tilly's owners never stepped forward to claim her within the required five-day waiting period, it's likely the dog was purposely bred. A call came into the shelter shortly after the dog was picked up, demanding two of the puppies — apparently already prepaid.

But the caller, after learning the puppies would be altered before being offered for adoption, said he had no need for the purebred pups without breeding potential.

It's not known if Tilly was used as a fighting dog, although numerous scars indicate some abuse, Martin said. It's likely the dog, probably about 4 or 5 years old, was used simply as breeding stock.

"This dog was not a stray," Martin said. "But she is the victim of irresponsible breeding and irresponsible ownership. It happens too often that people breed their dogs and then dump them. They are victimized on every front."

While the puppies will likely be easy to place, Bershad said she worries about the mother dog. The puppies are almost weaned and will be ready for adoption in a few more weeks. "One of my big things is that I'd like to find Tilly a good home. People are always going to want puppies."

Tilly's offspring will be great candidates for the shelter's new weekly drop-in puppy class, Martin said. It will be required attendance.

Led by certified dog trainer Suzanne Fuqua, the 6 p.m. Tuesday classes begin April 6 at the shelter and offer a chance for people share tips, secrets and stories about dealing with puppies. Fuqua said the classes help people realize they are not alone.

As a trainer, Fuqua said she tries to see dogs, not breeds, but acknowledges people often have preconceptions about how a dog will react because of its appearance. Her focus is on the dog's behavior, something that is dependent upon a number of factors, including environment. If a puppy is reactive in an inappropriate way, such as bullying other dogs, or is timid and cowering, Fuqua said she knows that dog will require some extra time.

"People get all caught up in behavior, but behavior is behavior and it can be modified," she said, "whether in humans or canines. Dogs change all the time as they mature, just as people do."

The class helps expose puppies to as many new things as possible — noise, people, different environments — which is key to a well-socialized animal.

Pit bulls are often misunderstood because people never get a chance to know them, said Randi Gezofsky-Bildner, a Santa Fe resident who runs The Bully Beat, a Web site devoted to the welfare of pit bulls. The dogs are intelligent, loyal, and sensitive, something people are often surprised to hear.

"You can actually hurt their feelings very easily," she said. "They can be stubborn but they most definitely have their own wonderful personalities."

Gezofsky-Bildner said people often confuse pit bulls with other breeds. Many times, she said, the media will indicate a pit bull was involved in an attack when in reality it was a different breed. Often, a dog is villainized, when really people should be looking at the other end of the leash, she said. "There are no bad dogs; it's the people who cause the problem."

Changing public perceptions about pit bulls led Chiotasso of the Española shelter to adopt one of the breed herself. Lil was about 4 years old when she came to the shelter as a stray. The dog was placed in a foster home because too many adopters were interested in her solely as a status symbol.

"We like to unofficially call it 'the pit-ness protection program,' " Chiotasso said. "Foster parents give us a great 'pre-screen' for potential adopters."

Chiotasso said Lil fit the bill for what she was looking for — a shelter mascot and an ambassador for the breed. True to her form, Lil quickly earned her Canine Good Citizen award and Delta certification for therapy work. She was also the first dog on the floor of the Senate, invited last year when the Legislature passed the Pit Fix Memorial. The Animal Farm Foundation recently recognized Lil for her work in schools.

"I have had her for about two years, and in that time she has gone from stray to star," Chiotasso said.

Lil is a popular figure among schoolchildren, Chiotasso said, and her uniquely cropped ears offer a chance to talk about the painful process, likely done by a private individual solely for vanity. Most reputable veterinarians won't perform the process on pit bulls because it's either for looks or to prevent injuries in dog fighting.

Pit bulls are not recognized by the American Kennel Club, so cropped ears are not a part of breed standard or for a dog show. Chiotasso said Lil is not dog-reactive, so the guess is that her ears were cropped for looks rather than fighting. "Many young children jump on the bandwagon of thinking natural ears are 'cool' when they hear that the alternative can really hurt the dog."

It's interesting to note the children's different reactions to Lil, Chiotasso said. In Los Alamos, for example, most children had no idea of Lil's breed type. In Santa Fe schools, students recognized her as a pit bull, but not much more. In Pojoaque, children knew her specific coloring — brindle — and guessed that she was a female because of her size.

Shelter workers like to spend a bit more time with potential pit bull adopters to ease their minds and help them succeed with their charge, Chiotasso said. Responsible training helps ensure that the dog becomes the treasured family pet everyone wants.

"We want them to leave the shelter as an ambassador for the breed," she said. "A dog can only do so much on its own, and we need the people to take it over from there."

Pit bull origins

While pit bulls are usually people-friendly, they can be reactive to other dogs. That's a trait bred into them through the years as they evolved from their original Mastiff-like stock as muscular war dogs to more bulldog-like physical qualities of so-called baiting dogs. The breed was later interbred with terriers that transformed them into smaller, compact creatures ideally suited for dogfighting.

Baiting, in which one or two dogs are unleashed on a bull or other animals, was popular throughout England until it was banned in 1835. But that did little to curb the blood-sport appetite, and smaller, more easily hidden animals, such as rats, were introduced as prey. Eventually, dogfighting became the preferred sport.

English immigrants brought their dogs, and dogfighting was common throughout America in the 19th century. But the breed also found a broader and more humane purpose on the frontier as herders and guardians.

The American Kennel Club, formed in 1884, was reluctant to include pit bulls as a breed since they were specifically bred for fighting. The AKC did recognize pit bulls as a breed in 1936, although under the designation of the Staffordshire terrier, the area in England where it is believed the crossbreeding of bulldogs and terriers began. The AKC now includes the American Staffordshire terrier in its registry, a distinct cousin of the American pit bull terrier.



Sources: The Pitbull Guide, by Timothy Morral, American Kennel Club